Milking apparatus.



K. I. LINDSTRGM. MILKING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1906.

91 1,41 6. Pafiented Feb. 2, 1909.

4 BHEBTB-SHEBT 1.

K. I. LINDSTROM. MILKING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED my: 6,, 190a.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

4 8HIIET8-SHBET 2..

K-.-I. LINDSTRUM, MILKING APPARATUS. APPLIOAII'IDN FILED JUNE 5. 1906 91 1,41 6, Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

l witnesses since I a To a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application filed June 6, 1906. Serial No.820,29 8.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KNUT IVAR LIND- s'rnonr, a subject of the Kin of Sweden, and resident of Nygvarn, in t 1e Kingdom of Sweden, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates'to a milking apparatus adapted to be applied to the cow or animal for effecting the milking .o eration mechanically. The said apparatus as four milking devices acting upon each of the teats and each consisting of two or more pistons or Inn ers gently s ueezing the teat.

The c. aracteristic eature of the apparatus consists in the milking devices being oper- 'ated by compressed "air acting to intermittently advance horizontal lungers, which arenroved'in cylinders, fir m' connected-and communicatin with each other in certain positions of t e plungers, in such manner that the plungers of the same milking device (5.10. actin upon the same teat) advance and return g turns. This is effected in a sim 1e and e ective manner, the compressed air g capable of entering a lower cylinder and advancin its plun er, on when an upperpl er as arrive to its ore end position, acts upon the pressure from hecompressed air in t e cylinder and the com ressed air in alower cylind disc arged only when an upper plunger has been returned to or substantially to its initial position "by a '5 ring after an interruption in the pressure roin the air. the plu ers themselves act as distrl uting valves a d nitting compressed air into or discharging the same from the c linders. 'The said apparatus is-actuated by and by means of an ordinary air-pump with piston. time the piston of the said pump is moved forward, the plungers of the milking devices are forced forward in the manner stated, and when the'piston of the ump is moved backward, the plungers of t e milking devices return. p 7

All themilking devi'ces bein of quite the .sameoonstruction only one o, the said do? yice's is shown in the accompanying draw- :mgs. I

Figure '1 is-e side view and Fig. "2 is a plan'view'of theprincipal parts of the apparatus. Fig. 3 1s a vertical section on a greater scale of a device. Fig. 4 is er being Gonse uently Each a cross section on the line so to y of F ig. 3. Fi 5 is a side view of the milking device and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of the upper plunger. Fig. 8 shows a further modification. Fig. 9 1s a view showing the improved milking apparatus adjusted use The fourmilking-devices 1,2, 3, 4, Fig. 2, are supported by arms 40, 4'1, 42, 43 respective] extending from a common plate 5, whic is fixed in a suitable manner to the ordinaryyoke or the like passed over the back of t e cow. The said arms 40 to 48 are fixed to the plate 5.by means of pins and jam-nuts or the like, so that they can be adjusted horizontally 'as well -as vertical Each arm consists 'of -two --parts, one slid "into the :other and sliding the same, said "parts being adjustable means 8. jjamnut nr the like, so that ='the arm can be extended or shortened. -Uonsequenfly;the='four arms can easily 'be adapted to the mutual .positions'of the teats, which is ve' in difl'erent cows. The udder an' the teats are indicated by dotted .lin'esin Fig. 1. The number of lungers located =one'a'bove the other in eac .of the. milking devices maybe two (1:31 more. in Figs}? to fi-ftliere-afe only. twoon e Putin" i .-8 ur ungers' are show n is a mod ti-on. 'l he two plungersnreiiesi ated b 6 andi in Figs. 3 i206. "Oneend o thesai' pl her. metically in the cylinders 8 and 9- 'tively'and the other,-front end of theplungers-is provided-with a head-or pad 10a'nd11 respectlvely of indie-rubber or any other soft material. The said pad or head may be made as a separate piece and provided with a lpin 12, inserted in the end of the Inn or, w ich consists of a tubular piem, c ose at its inner end, as shown in F' 4, or thepad may be of any other suitab GCOIISUUCUOII. A short pipe 13 extends fromxthe rear-end of the cylinder 8, a rubber tube '14 being threaded on the said-pipe and connecting the cylinder with the air; pump.

The Tylinder 8 is provided, in its lower side we substantially at'the center with an opening 15, from which achannel '17, pmvided in 'a piece 16 mounted between "the 'cy inderg'leadsfbackward "tothe cylinder .9 which in'its u or "side 'wallfbehin'd thereturned" plunger has a "corresponding-opening 18. The plunger '6 has in' its lower side well an opening 19, registering with the different in position for opening 15, when the plunger is in or substantially in its starting point, as shown in Fig. 3. In the same manner communication is provided between other plungers and cylinuers, when there are more than two plungers, as shown in Fig. 8. l he upper plunger 6 is provided in its front end with a channel 20 leading to the exterior air.

All cylinders are inclosed in a mantle or plungers to move freely. loop shaped pieces 22 are fixed, extend ng forward and torniing a sleeve, into which the tent is inserted. 22 is preteiably the same as the number of plungers, said pieces being situated in iront of each of the plungers, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, but any other number of pieces may be provided, as for instance tnrec, sazd pieces being then correspondingly smaller 1n height. The sleeve 22 embraces with its shanks the casing 21, made of sheet iron or the like, and is movable for some distance longitudinally and in a direction parallel to the axis of the plunger, said sleeve being guided in a suitable manner. As for instance the shanks may slide in grooves in the outer side of the casing. Uue or more coil springs 23 under tension are fixed on each side of the sleeve 22 to a hook fixed in the said sleeve and to a hook fixed in the casing 21. The said springs tend to pull the sleeve backward as far as permitted by an abutment. The said abutment may consist of the end wall of the said groove, which is struck by the shank, or may be arranged in any other suitable manner. Both the loop shaped pieces or all the loop shaped pieces must not necessarily be yielding in the described manner, but the bottom piece may be fixed to the casing in an adjustable mannor, as shown in Fig. 5, by means of nuts threaded on pins Q-l fixed in the casing and assiiig through slots or the like rovided in the shanks of the loop. Inside t 1e casing other coil springs 25 under tension are provided, fixed between the head of the lunger and the rear part of the casin e said springs return the plunger to its initial position. For the protectin of the plungers from dust and the like and for the controlling of their movement the plungers are rovided with sleeves or collars 26, inclosmg the front end of the cylinders. Each of the said collars is provided with a longitudinal slot 27, through which ti pin 28 on the cylinder projects. In this manner the plungers are prevented from turning and are sto dped in their forward movement.

The escribed apparatus operates in the following manner. As the piston of the pump is forced forward, the compressed air penetrates into the cylinder 8 through the pipe l3 and advances the plunger 6 to its 85 ore, and position, determined by the pin or casing, open in its front end, to permit the To the said casing The number of pieces I projection 28. During the said movement the rear end of the plunger just passes by the opening 15 of the channel 1?, and the plunger squeezes the top part of the teat against the somewhat yielding support, formed by the sleeves 22. in this manner communication between the teat and the udder is shut off. As the pluii er reaches the said end position, compressed air passes through the channel 17 into the cylinder 9 behind the plunger 7, forcing the same forward. The said plunger 7 now presses the iuilk contained in the teat further downward and causes the same to leave the teat. As the piston of the pump is returned and the pressure in the cylinder is thereby relaxed, the plunger 6 is pulled backward by the springs and after the plunger has returned such a distance, that its opening 19 registers with the opening 15 of the channel 17, the air passes from the cylinder 9 to the exterior air through the channel 17, the plunger 6 and the channel 20. (.Ionse qucntly the pressure in the cylinder 9 is relaxed or ceases and the plunger 7 is returned by the springs 25. The teat is now filled with milk from the udder, whereupon the plun ers ate again forced forward and so on f there are more than two plungers, the milking operation is effected in the same manner, as will be seen from Fig. 8, the uppermost longer 29 admittin compressed air into tie next subjacent cy inder 30, the next plungeriil into the next subjacent cylinder 32 and so on, the uppermost plunger being, consequently. advanced first and the lowermost lost. When the pressure caused by the pump ceases, the uppermost plunger will return first, then the next lunger 31, thereafter the third pluiwer am so on, the lowermost one returnin Test.

From what is said a me it is perceived, that the movements of the plungers forward and backward always are effected successively (by turns), so that a lower plunger cannot commence to move forward or backward, until the superposed plunger has occupied its fore, en position or has returned to or substantially to its initial position, an upper plunger maintaining a fixed and unchanged position, squeezing the teat, while a lower lunger is forcing the milk downward and causing the same to leave the teat. Consequently the milking device effects the same work as is performed in milking correctly by hand. By a screw valve 33 the communication between the cylinders can be narrowed, so that the movemcnt of a plunger is delayed more or less in relation to the movement of the preceding lunger. The four milking devices act in t e same manner, each being connected with the pump by a tube. By means of cocks or the like in the tubes any one of the milking devices can be stopped.

The modification shown in Fig. 7, consists in the head of the uppermost plunger being divided horizontally in two parts the upper one 34 being provided with a pin 35 sliding in the plunger, longitudinally to the same, and kept in a somewhat projectlng position b a coil-s ring 36. As the plunger is eing move forward, the teat is acted upon first by the upper part 34, which returns a short distance, the plunger as a whole being then pressed against the teat. The object of the said arrangement is that pressure may be applied to the teat firs as near the root of the same as possible an then farther downward on the same. The support 22 may, if wanted, be provided with an inner soft lining 37, preferably made in one piece, as shown'in Fig. 8.

Havin now described my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. In milking machines a milking device, consisting of a plurality of pistons, moving relatively to cylinders and means for bringing said cylinders in communication with each other when the pistons have moved a little relatively to the cylinders,

2. In milking machines a milking device, consisting'of a plurality of pistons, moving relatively to cylinders, channels between said cylinders and means for bringing each cylinder in communication with the next one when the piston of the former one has moved a distance in its cylinder.

3. In milking machines a milking device, consisting of a plurality of pistons moving in cylinders, channels between said cylinders and means for bringing each cylinder in communication with the next one when the iston of the former has moved a little in its cylinder.

4. In milking machines, a milking device consistin of a plurality of pistons moving in cylin ers, channels between said cylinders, the piston of each c linder closing the opening of the channel rom said cyllnder to the next one, when the piston is in its innermost position.

5. In milking machines a milking device, consisting of a plurality of pistons arranged one above another and moving in cylinders, each upper cylinder communicating with the next one, when the piston of the former one is in its outermost position, but not communicatin with the said latter cylinder, when said piston isjn its innermost position.

6. In milking machines, a milking device consisting of a plurality of pistons moving in cylinders, channels between said cylinders, the one end of each channel opening in the side of the corresponding c 'linder.

7. In milking machines a fng device movable along one of the respective cyliw ders, and means forsupplying fluid under pressure to each cylinder to move the corresponding piston along the same, the fluid sup lying means for one cylinder being control ed from the movement of the piston in the other cylinder.

9. In milking machines, a milking device havin two cylinders, two pistons, each capabIeof movement along one of the res ective cylinders, means for supplying 'l uid under pressure to one cylinder for moving the corresponding piston al'ong the same, and means, controlled from the move ment of such piston, for suppl ing fluid under pressure to the other cy inder for moving the corresponding piston along the same.

10. In milking machines, a milking device having two cylinders, two pistons, each movable along one of the respective cylinders, means for su plying fluid under pressure to one cylin er for moving the corresponding piston along the same, and a passage, extended from such cylinder and controlled b the movement of the piston therein, an adapted for communication with the other cylinder for supplying fluid under pressure thereto.

11. In milking machines, a milking dc vice having a'main cylinder provided with a port, a piston movable along the cylinder and adapted, when moved in one direction, to expose said port, and when reversely moved, to occlude said port, means for supplying fluid under pressureto said cylinder 5 to move said piston along the same, another cylinder, a piston movable along the same, and a passage affording communication from the port of the first-named cylinder to said last named cylinder and adapted to supply fluid under pressure to said lastnamed cylinder to move the piston along the same.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 21st day of May 1906, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KNUT IVAR LINDSTROM.

Witnesses HJ. Znms'rnoir, Axm. EHRNERL. 

